Research Article
BibTex RIS Cite

The Effect of Color in Airbnb Listings on Guest Ratings

Year 2021, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 467 - 483, 01.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.30519/ahtr.819112

Abstract

The present research analyzes the color scheme of more than 30,000 photos in Airbnb listings in New York City to examine the relationship between the color schemes of Airbnb properties and guest ratings. The research finds that Airbnb listings with black as the dominant background or foreground color and those with magenta as the accent color received lower guest ratings than listings with other colors. This research also finds significant interaction effects of color, saturation, and value (brightness) of accent colors, indicating that it is important to select an optional saturation and value for each color.

References

  • Alberts, W. A., & Van Der Geest, T. M. (2011). Color matters: Color as trustworthiness cue in web sites. Technical Communication, 58(2), 149–160.
  • Allyn, B. (2020, April 28). For Airbnb, 2020 was supposed to be a banner year. Then the pandemic hit. Retrieved July 14, 2020, from NPR.org website: https://www.npr.org/2020/04/28/846780052/for-airbnb-2020-was-supposed-to-be-a-banner-year-then-the-pandemic-hit
  • Aslam, M. M. (2006). Are you selling the right colour? A cross-cultural review of colour as a marketing cue. Journal of Marketing Communications, 12(1), 15–30.
  • Attrill, M. J., Gresty, K. A., Hill, R. A., & Barton, R. A. (2008). Red shirt colour is associated with long-term team success in English football. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26(6), 577–582.
  • Babin, B. J., Hardesty, D. M., & Suter, T. A. (2003). Color and shopping intentions: The intervening effect of price fairness and perceived affect. Journal of Business Research, 56(7), 541–551.
  • Barker, G. (2020, February 21). The Airbnb effect on housing and rent. Retrieved July 14, 2020, from Forbes website: https://www.forbes.com/sites/garybarker/2020/02/21/the-airbnb-effect-on-housing-and-rent/#2b99e9bb2226
  • Bellizzi, J. A., & Hite, R. E. (1992). Environmental color, consumer feelings, and purchase likelihood. Psychology & Marketing, 9(5), 347–363.
  • Bottomley, P. A., & Doyle, J. R. (2006). The interactive effects of colors and products on perceptions of brand logo appropriateness. Marketing Theory, 6(1), 63–83.
  • Chebat, J.-C., & Morrin, M. (2007). Colors and cultures: Exploring the effects of mall décor on consumer perceptions. Journal of Business Research, 60(3), 189–196.
  • Coleman, N. V., & Williams, P. (2013). Feeling like my self: Emotion profiles and social identity. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(2), 203–222.
  • Countryman, C. C., & Jang, S. (2006). The effects of atmospheric elements on customer impression: The case of hotel lobbies. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 18(7), 534–545.
  • Dailey, L. (2004). Navigational web atmospherics: Explaining the influence of restrictive navigation cues. Journal of Business Research, 57(7), 795–803.
  • Drummond, P. D., & Quah, S. H. (2001). The effect of expressing anger on cardiovascular reactivity and facial blood flow in Chinese and Caucasians. Psychophysiology, 38(2), 190–196.
  • Elliot, A. J., Maier, M. A., Moller, A. C., Friedman, R., & Meinhardt, J. (2007). Color and psychological functioning: The effect of red on performance attainment. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136(1), 154.
  • Eroglu, S. A., Machleit, K. A., & Davis, L. M. (2003). Empirical testing of a model of online store atmospherics and shopper responses. Psychology & Marketing, 20(2), 139–150.
  • Ert, E., Fleischer, A., & Magen, N. (2016). Trust and reputation in the sharing economy: The role of personal photos in Airbnb. Tourism Management, 55, 62–73.
  • Fagerstrøm, A., Pawar, S., Sigurdsson, V., Foxall, G. R., & Yani-de-Soriano, M. (2017). That personal profile image might jeopardize your rental opportunity! On the relative impact of the seller’s facial expressions upon buying behavior on AirbnbTM. Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 123–131.
  • Feltman, R., & Elliot, A. J. (2011). The influence of red on perceptions of relative dominance and threat in a competitive context. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 33(2), 308–314.
  • Funk, D., & Ndubisi, N. O. (2006). Colour and product choice: A study of gender roles. Management Research News, 29(1/2), 41–52.
  • Goossens, C. (2000). Tourism information and pleasure motivation. Annals of Tourism Research, 27(2), 301–321.
  • Gorn, G. J., Chattopadhyay, A., Sengupta, J., & Tripathi, S. (2004). Waiting for the web: How screen color affects time perception. Journal of Marketing Research, 41(2), 215–225.
  • Gorn, G. J., Chattopadhyay, A., Yi, T., & Dahl, D. W. (1997). Effects of color as an executional cue in advertising: They’re in the shade. Management Science, 43(10), 1387–1400.
  • Guilford, J. P., & Smith, P. C. (1959). A system of color-preferences. The American Journal of Psychology, 72(4), 487–502.
  • Hanss, D., Böhm, G., & Pfister, H.-R. (2012). Active red sports car and relaxed purple–blue van: Affective qualities predict color appropriateness for car types. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 11(5), 368–380.
  • Hill, R. A., & Barton, R. A. (2005). Red enhances human performance in contests. Nature, 435(7040), 293–293.
  • Jacobs, K. W., & Hustmyer, F. E. (1974). Effects of four psychological primary colors on GSR, heart rate and respiration rate. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 38(3), 763–766.
  • Jacobs, L., Keown, C., Worthley, R., & Ghymn, K.-I. (1991). Cross-cultural colour comparisons: Global marketers beware! International Marketing Review.
  • Jaeger, B., Sleegers, W. W., Evans, A. M., Stel, M., & van Beest, I. (2019). The effects of facial attractiveness and trustworthiness in online peer-to-peer markets. Journal of Economic Psychology, 75, 102125.
  • Jiang, Y., & Wang, C. L. (2006). The impact of affect on service quality and satisfaction: The moderation of service contexts. Journal of Services Marketing, 20(4), 211–218.
  • Lee, A. H., Denizci Guillet, B., & Law, R. (2018). Tourists’ emotional wellness and hotel room colour. Current Issues in Tourism, 21(8), 856–862.
  • Lee, S., & Rao, V. S. (2010). Color and store choice in electronic commerce: The explanatory role of trust. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 11(2), 110–126.
  • Leow, W. K., & Li, R. (2004). The analysis and applications of adaptive-binning color histograms. Computer Vision and Image Understanding, 94(1–3), 67–91.
  • Lin, I. Y. (2009). The combined effect of color and music on customer satisfaction in hotel bars. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 19(1), 22–37.
  • MacQueen, J. (1967). Some methods for classification and analysis of multivariate observations. Proceedings of the Fifth Berkeley Symposium on Mathematical Statistics and Probability, 1(14), 281–297. Oakland, CA, USA.
  • Madden, T. J., Hewett, K., & Roth, M. S. (2000). Managing images in different cultures: A cross-national study of color meanings and preferences. Journal of International Marketing, 8(4), 90–107.
  • Mehta, R., & Zhu, R. J. (2009). Blue or red? Exploring the effect of color on cognitive task performances. Science, 323(5918), 1226–1229.
  • NBC New York. (2019, April 5). Survey Names New York City as the World Capital of Excitement—And Ghosting! Retrieved April 14, 2021, from NBC New York website: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/survey-names-new-york-city-world-capital-excitement-ghosting-nyc/1108714/
  • Ngo, M. K., Piqueras-Fiszman, B., & Spence, C. (2012). On the colour and shape of still and sparkling water: Insights from online and laboratory-based testing. Food Quality and Preference, 24(2), 260–268.
  • Phillips, W. J., & Jang, S. (2010). Destination image differences between visitors and non-visitors: A case of New York city. International Journal of Tourism Research, 12(5), 642–645.
  • Puccinelli, N. M., Chandrashekaran, R., Grewal, D., & Suri, R. (2013). Are men seduced by red? The effect of red versus black prices on price perceptions. Journal of Retailing, 89(2), 115–125.
  • Siamionava, K., Slevitch, L., & Tomas, S. R. (2018). Effects of spatial colors on guests’ perceptions of a hotel room. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 70, 85–94.
  • Thompson, D. (2018, February 17). Airbnb and the Unintended Consequences of “Disruption.” Retrieved April 14, 2021, from The Atlantic website: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/02/airbnb-hotels-disruption/553556/
  • Thompson, E., Palacios, A., & Varela, F. J. (1992). Ways of coloring: Comparative color vision as a case study for cognitive science. Vision and Mind: Selected Readings in the Philosophy of Perception, 351–418.
  • Wilson, G. D. (1966). Arousal properties of red versus green. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 23(3, PT. 1), 947–949. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1966.23.3.947
  • Wu, C.-S., Cheng, F.-F., & Yen, D. C. (2008). The atmospheric factors of online storefront environment design: An empirical experiment in Taiwan. Information & Management, 45(7), 493–498.
  • Yildirim, K., Akalin-Baskaya, A., & Hidayetoglu, M. L. (2007). Effects of indoor color on mood and cognitive performance. Building and Environment, 42(9), 3233–3240.
  • Yüksel, A. (2009). Exterior color and perceived retail crowding: Effects on tourists’ shopping quality inferences and approach behaviors. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 10(4), 233–254.
Year 2021, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 467 - 483, 01.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.30519/ahtr.819112

Abstract

References

  • Alberts, W. A., & Van Der Geest, T. M. (2011). Color matters: Color as trustworthiness cue in web sites. Technical Communication, 58(2), 149–160.
  • Allyn, B. (2020, April 28). For Airbnb, 2020 was supposed to be a banner year. Then the pandemic hit. Retrieved July 14, 2020, from NPR.org website: https://www.npr.org/2020/04/28/846780052/for-airbnb-2020-was-supposed-to-be-a-banner-year-then-the-pandemic-hit
  • Aslam, M. M. (2006). Are you selling the right colour? A cross-cultural review of colour as a marketing cue. Journal of Marketing Communications, 12(1), 15–30.
  • Attrill, M. J., Gresty, K. A., Hill, R. A., & Barton, R. A. (2008). Red shirt colour is associated with long-term team success in English football. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26(6), 577–582.
  • Babin, B. J., Hardesty, D. M., & Suter, T. A. (2003). Color and shopping intentions: The intervening effect of price fairness and perceived affect. Journal of Business Research, 56(7), 541–551.
  • Barker, G. (2020, February 21). The Airbnb effect on housing and rent. Retrieved July 14, 2020, from Forbes website: https://www.forbes.com/sites/garybarker/2020/02/21/the-airbnb-effect-on-housing-and-rent/#2b99e9bb2226
  • Bellizzi, J. A., & Hite, R. E. (1992). Environmental color, consumer feelings, and purchase likelihood. Psychology & Marketing, 9(5), 347–363.
  • Bottomley, P. A., & Doyle, J. R. (2006). The interactive effects of colors and products on perceptions of brand logo appropriateness. Marketing Theory, 6(1), 63–83.
  • Chebat, J.-C., & Morrin, M. (2007). Colors and cultures: Exploring the effects of mall décor on consumer perceptions. Journal of Business Research, 60(3), 189–196.
  • Coleman, N. V., & Williams, P. (2013). Feeling like my self: Emotion profiles and social identity. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(2), 203–222.
  • Countryman, C. C., & Jang, S. (2006). The effects of atmospheric elements on customer impression: The case of hotel lobbies. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 18(7), 534–545.
  • Dailey, L. (2004). Navigational web atmospherics: Explaining the influence of restrictive navigation cues. Journal of Business Research, 57(7), 795–803.
  • Drummond, P. D., & Quah, S. H. (2001). The effect of expressing anger on cardiovascular reactivity and facial blood flow in Chinese and Caucasians. Psychophysiology, 38(2), 190–196.
  • Elliot, A. J., Maier, M. A., Moller, A. C., Friedman, R., & Meinhardt, J. (2007). Color and psychological functioning: The effect of red on performance attainment. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 136(1), 154.
  • Eroglu, S. A., Machleit, K. A., & Davis, L. M. (2003). Empirical testing of a model of online store atmospherics and shopper responses. Psychology & Marketing, 20(2), 139–150.
  • Ert, E., Fleischer, A., & Magen, N. (2016). Trust and reputation in the sharing economy: The role of personal photos in Airbnb. Tourism Management, 55, 62–73.
  • Fagerstrøm, A., Pawar, S., Sigurdsson, V., Foxall, G. R., & Yani-de-Soriano, M. (2017). That personal profile image might jeopardize your rental opportunity! On the relative impact of the seller’s facial expressions upon buying behavior on AirbnbTM. Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 123–131.
  • Feltman, R., & Elliot, A. J. (2011). The influence of red on perceptions of relative dominance and threat in a competitive context. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 33(2), 308–314.
  • Funk, D., & Ndubisi, N. O. (2006). Colour and product choice: A study of gender roles. Management Research News, 29(1/2), 41–52.
  • Goossens, C. (2000). Tourism information and pleasure motivation. Annals of Tourism Research, 27(2), 301–321.
  • Gorn, G. J., Chattopadhyay, A., Sengupta, J., & Tripathi, S. (2004). Waiting for the web: How screen color affects time perception. Journal of Marketing Research, 41(2), 215–225.
  • Gorn, G. J., Chattopadhyay, A., Yi, T., & Dahl, D. W. (1997). Effects of color as an executional cue in advertising: They’re in the shade. Management Science, 43(10), 1387–1400.
  • Guilford, J. P., & Smith, P. C. (1959). A system of color-preferences. The American Journal of Psychology, 72(4), 487–502.
  • Hanss, D., Böhm, G., & Pfister, H.-R. (2012). Active red sports car and relaxed purple–blue van: Affective qualities predict color appropriateness for car types. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 11(5), 368–380.
  • Hill, R. A., & Barton, R. A. (2005). Red enhances human performance in contests. Nature, 435(7040), 293–293.
  • Jacobs, K. W., & Hustmyer, F. E. (1974). Effects of four psychological primary colors on GSR, heart rate and respiration rate. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 38(3), 763–766.
  • Jacobs, L., Keown, C., Worthley, R., & Ghymn, K.-I. (1991). Cross-cultural colour comparisons: Global marketers beware! International Marketing Review.
  • Jaeger, B., Sleegers, W. W., Evans, A. M., Stel, M., & van Beest, I. (2019). The effects of facial attractiveness and trustworthiness in online peer-to-peer markets. Journal of Economic Psychology, 75, 102125.
  • Jiang, Y., & Wang, C. L. (2006). The impact of affect on service quality and satisfaction: The moderation of service contexts. Journal of Services Marketing, 20(4), 211–218.
  • Lee, A. H., Denizci Guillet, B., & Law, R. (2018). Tourists’ emotional wellness and hotel room colour. Current Issues in Tourism, 21(8), 856–862.
  • Lee, S., & Rao, V. S. (2010). Color and store choice in electronic commerce: The explanatory role of trust. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 11(2), 110–126.
  • Leow, W. K., & Li, R. (2004). The analysis and applications of adaptive-binning color histograms. Computer Vision and Image Understanding, 94(1–3), 67–91.
  • Lin, I. Y. (2009). The combined effect of color and music on customer satisfaction in hotel bars. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 19(1), 22–37.
  • MacQueen, J. (1967). Some methods for classification and analysis of multivariate observations. Proceedings of the Fifth Berkeley Symposium on Mathematical Statistics and Probability, 1(14), 281–297. Oakland, CA, USA.
  • Madden, T. J., Hewett, K., & Roth, M. S. (2000). Managing images in different cultures: A cross-national study of color meanings and preferences. Journal of International Marketing, 8(4), 90–107.
  • Mehta, R., & Zhu, R. J. (2009). Blue or red? Exploring the effect of color on cognitive task performances. Science, 323(5918), 1226–1229.
  • NBC New York. (2019, April 5). Survey Names New York City as the World Capital of Excitement—And Ghosting! Retrieved April 14, 2021, from NBC New York website: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/survey-names-new-york-city-world-capital-excitement-ghosting-nyc/1108714/
  • Ngo, M. K., Piqueras-Fiszman, B., & Spence, C. (2012). On the colour and shape of still and sparkling water: Insights from online and laboratory-based testing. Food Quality and Preference, 24(2), 260–268.
  • Phillips, W. J., & Jang, S. (2010). Destination image differences between visitors and non-visitors: A case of New York city. International Journal of Tourism Research, 12(5), 642–645.
  • Puccinelli, N. M., Chandrashekaran, R., Grewal, D., & Suri, R. (2013). Are men seduced by red? The effect of red versus black prices on price perceptions. Journal of Retailing, 89(2), 115–125.
  • Siamionava, K., Slevitch, L., & Tomas, S. R. (2018). Effects of spatial colors on guests’ perceptions of a hotel room. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 70, 85–94.
  • Thompson, D. (2018, February 17). Airbnb and the Unintended Consequences of “Disruption.” Retrieved April 14, 2021, from The Atlantic website: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/02/airbnb-hotels-disruption/553556/
  • Thompson, E., Palacios, A., & Varela, F. J. (1992). Ways of coloring: Comparative color vision as a case study for cognitive science. Vision and Mind: Selected Readings in the Philosophy of Perception, 351–418.
  • Wilson, G. D. (1966). Arousal properties of red versus green. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 23(3, PT. 1), 947–949. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1966.23.3.947
  • Wu, C.-S., Cheng, F.-F., & Yen, D. C. (2008). The atmospheric factors of online storefront environment design: An empirical experiment in Taiwan. Information & Management, 45(7), 493–498.
  • Yildirim, K., Akalin-Baskaya, A., & Hidayetoglu, M. L. (2007). Effects of indoor color on mood and cognitive performance. Building and Environment, 42(9), 3233–3240.
  • Yüksel, A. (2009). Exterior color and perceived retail crowding: Effects on tourists’ shopping quality inferences and approach behaviors. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 10(4), 233–254.
There are 47 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Tourism (Other)
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Hyunkyu Jang 0000-0001-9081-1373

Publication Date December 1, 2021
Submission Date October 31, 2020
Published in Issue Year 2021 Volume: 9 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Jang, H. (2021). The Effect of Color in Airbnb Listings on Guest Ratings. Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Research (AHTR), 9(2), 467-483. https://doi.org/10.30519/ahtr.819112


Follow us on our journal's social media account

 social-network-fb-logo-facebook-icon.png